Actions
Everything a character does is an action. In FAITH, actions are usually successful by default. However, actions may fail if a character is really unskilled, if the GM thinks it is interesting for the story, or if someone being affected by it does not want it to happen. These situations are resolved by playing cards, sometimes in confrontation with other characters, or with the GM. Actions Actions are the things a character can do, from shooting a weapon to playing piano. All actions are performed using a Skill that represents the character’s knowledge in that area, and an Attribute that represents his related capacity (See Attributes and''' Skills' for more details on the specific uses of each of them). Any action attempted by a character is '''automatically successful' for as long as it is a realistic action. If the action is absurd, such as reading an unknown language or lifting a 200-ton spaceship, the GM must prohibit said action. The character may appeal, but he must be reminded that off-limit actions can break the gameplay. The GM’s judgment and dissuasive power must lead the gameplay forward. Logical actions can only be prevented from happening through confrontations. Confrontations are the main mechanic of FAITH. Actions that are confronted must have an action value higher than the confronting action to succeed. Depending on the difference in their values, they can have different levels of success. An action that is not confronted will have the level of success that the character performing it wishes. Some pieces of equipment and Upgrades have the keyword action in their descriptions. Those pieces of equipment and Upgrades require the character to dedicate an action to use them. The Skill that should be used depends on the specific piece of equipment or Upgrade. When it is not important to keep track of time, actions can be chained together one after the other. However, in situations during which timing is essential, an initiative round 'must take place and each character is only allowed to perform a single action per round unless other special rules apply. Sometimes it will be hard to distinguish between a single action and a chain of actions very well linked. It is not the purpose of this rulebook to provide a list of specific actions, as nearly anything can happen in a roleplaying game and such a list will never be comprehensive enough. However, players should try to stick to a few guidelines to describe their actions. Actions should only need one verb to be described. If the word “and” is included, the character is probably trying to perform two or more actions linked to each other and he will probably need several turns to be able to dothat. Here is a basic template to describe actions: “I verb if needed target” Example: ''I shoot the guard. I move behind cover. I dodge towards the door. I hack Ed’s thermal visor. I reload my weapon. To keep the game realistic and organic, characters are allowed to move up to 2.5 metres while performing an action. Opposing an Action In FAITH, actions are automatically successful unless someone chooses to oppose them, be it another character trying to avoid their effects or the GM determining an accident or mishap. Such '''oppositions are resolved through confrontations. Generally, characters involved in a confrontation will have the chance to play a number of cards depending on their Attributes, which are added to their relevant Skill to determine their action value. The character with the highest action value will succeed and all opposing characters will fail. Collaborative Actions A collaborative action is a single action that is performed by more than one character. During a collaborative action, all participating players play as a single character who has an Attribute value equal to the highest relevant Attribute amongst participating players, and who has a Skill value equal to the lowest Skill used amongst participating players. Only participating characters can play cards during a collaborative action. Additionally, they gain one advantage for each character participating in the action after the first. Two characters or more holding closed a door while a huge creature tries to open it to get to them; two characters operating a double-pilot spaceship through the debris of a space battle; several characters lifting a hurt companion to get him to safety, etc. Remember that a collaborative action must always be a single action. A character opening a door with a kick so his friend can throw a grenade in is not a single action and therefore it cannot be considered a collaborative action, but two normal actions that need to be well chained together to succeed. Example: Rick and Morty are piloting their spaceship through a ring of asteroids, Rick is piloting and Morty is using the plasma turret. Their ship is very easy to maneuver, so they gain one advantage. The GM claims they are about to be hit by an asteroid and they decide to confront it collaboratively as it will affect both of them. While Rick will swerve the ship to the left, Morty will shoot at the left side of the asteroid to divert its path, increasing the chances of avoiding the impact. They are both trying to avoid being hit by the asteroid. The GM agrees that it is a collaborative action. Rick uses his Link 2 (he is cortex connected to the ship) and Piloting 2. Morty uses his Dexterity 3 and Ballistic 5. For this action they can collaboratively play 3 cards with an initial action value of 2 and they have 2 advantages (one from the ship and another one from the collaborative action). The GM can play 3 cards with an initial value of 0 and has 2 advantages. Everytime Rick and Morty can play a card, either one of them can play it. Passive Actions Passive actions are those that either do not require effort from characters or are related to what characters can perceive and therefore do not require that they declare it. Hiding and searching are passive actions and it is up to the GM to determine when other actions may be so as well. One passive action can be performed in addition to a normal action during a single turn. When performing passive actions the character may play cards from the top of his deck instead of his hand, or a combination of both from his hand and the top of his deck. Yong performs a passive action (Searching), looking into a dark tunnel to figure out if there is any danger before he enters. He is using his Mind 2 with an initial action value equal to his Survival 7 and he has no advantages. The GM confronts the action, she can play 2 cards, the same as the she is confronting, with an initial action value of 0, and she has 2 advantages. Yong is in Inferiority so he can play one card less than usual. The GM plays a 7 and now Yong has to play a card. He can choose to play it from the top of his deck or from his hand. He does not want to reduce the number of cards in his hand, so he plays a random card from the top of his deck, a 3. His final action value is 10 and the GM can play one more card. Will she force his failure or will she let him see whether danger lies ahead…? Additional Effects Sometimes, characters use pieces of equipment or Upgrades that can complement their actions or change their outcomes. These pieces of equipment or Upgrades have effects that can affect actions in different ways and, depending on their type, they are resolved differently. Passive Passive effects are always in use and they always trigger when they are applicable. Their use is not optional and they must be applied if at all possible. All characteristics and Upgrades are passive unless specified otherwise. Activated Activated effects can only be used simultaneously with an action performed by the character that owns them, although they still apply if the action fails. Only one activated effect can be used during each action by each character. If an activated effect has several functions, the character can decide to use any number of them at the same time. Instant Effects with the keyword instant can be used at any time, even during another character’s turn. Only one instant effect can be used during each action by each character. Sustained Sustained effects are considered activated on all accounts, but they remain active until the character decides to stop them, becomes Traumatised, becomes Bleeding out, or dies. A character with an active sustained effect can not discard any neural damage during the maintenance phase. Category:Mechanics